Zero Tolerance to Racism

Why is this happening?

We know that discrimination runs within society, and our university campus is no different. With the zero tolerance to racism policy, we aim to ensure every student who faces discrimination or harassment on campus is better supported and feels confident within the Unions process and system that their case will be dealt with justice and with the wellbeing of the student at the forefront.

This policy was the result of student-led efforts to tackle racial harassment in Higher Education.

The foundation of the policy is not to implement the harshest punishments where racial incidents are found. The root of this policy is to educate and to rehabilitate. More importantly, we want to ensure the student who is reporting incidences of discrimination feels confident in doing so, confident in the process and supported through this emotionally taxing experience.

The policy is split into four sections; Purpose, Our stance, Our definitions, delivery.

1. Purpose:

This zero tolerance policy establishes that the Union believes there is no place for racism in the Union, University or wider society and thereby the Union commits to respond to each and every example or incident of racism against students and stand as an anti-racist organisation.

Our policy goes beyond the student population and has the ability to impact our UPSU staff and any company/organisation who we as a Union partner with in order to maintain an actively anti-racist culture.

2. Our stance/Definition:

The anti-racist principle of this policy defines both proactive and reactive pathways to address all forms of racism against students - from lobbying towards the eradication of institutional racism, providing cultural cohesion opportunities, racism advice and education through to enforcement against racist acts within UPSU.

As part of an active effort to better support students through the process of reporting incidents of racism and harassment, we also acknowledge the small percentage of students who report and hope the implementation of a zero tolerance to racism policy encourages more students to feel confident in UPSUs ability to support you.
As a Union who is here for students through their educational journey, we also aim to bring attention to anything that perpetuates racial inequality in the curriculum or the wider University experience.

3. Delivery:

Step by step:

  1. You would like to report an incident of racial harassment/discimination, where do you go?

Our current process of reporting racism remains the same;

• UPSU contacts;
  report@upsu.net
  Union Advice Service

• UoP contacts;
  Report and support tool
  complaintsadvice@port.ac.uk
  

• Community contacts;
  Police via the hate crime reporting service

   2. How are you being supported?

Through this process, we hope to support the student with the complaint as much as possible through actively listening and putting your wellbeing at the forefront.

   3. How will I be represented through the disciplinary process/investigation?

• Include minimum one member from the BAME community.
• Where possible, member could share similar background to the complainant
• Ensure an individual who understands underlying issues is involved in the process where possible (i.e. possess cultural understanding or has served on a similar panel in past) to reduce inherent bias.

What would defined consequences look like?

Our ethos is to Engage, Educate and where necessary, enforce

• Engage and educate ;
  where there is limited severity of discrimination or harassment (e.g. single incident of microaggression) and/or where evidence that engagement with anti-racist practices will remove the risk of repeated incidents
  
  
• Enforce ; applied when
  Significant severity of discrimination or harassment
  Repeated lesser severity discrimination/harassment (e..g repeated incidents of microaggression)
  Failure to engage with previous educational activity

How will this impact officers, staff and volunteers within UPSU?

Within the relevant document there will be;

• Expectation to uphold this policy
• Understand and evidence active anti-racist behaviours through UPSU activities e.g. being aware, understand and mitigate impact of words, call out microaggressions and other forms of racism, and be educated on how to better adopt anti-racist behaviours and demonstrate ally ship

How will this impact UPSU partners?

• Partnered organisations will be asked to share out commitment to anti-racism and provide evidence where appropriate
• Racist action or non action will be further investigated
• Digital training resources will be offered to partners.

How does UPSU work with the University of Portsmouth on this?

• Eradicate institutional racism through active lobbying, campaigning and working collaboratively where appropriate
• Continuously ensure policies and practices against racism remains relevant to ensure racial equity
• Ensure all members adopt anti-racist behaviours.

What next?

Our next step is to lobby the University to adopt a separate Zero Tolerance to Racism policy. As a much larger institution than that of UPSU, we acknowledge this will take some time, however we have full confidence that the zero tolerance is the best policy to support students and a step in the right direction in changing the culture within Portsmouth and adopting a more inclusive and actively anti-racist campus.

FAQ:

How could this impact students who are not of the BAME community?

Through this policy, we hope to provide a package of Anti-Racist training which we hope will be available to all students to better understand discriminatory behaviours and how to be an active ally against racism in society.

Who does this policy apply to?

UPSU career staff, casual staff and volunteers

UPSU student leaders - including paid elected officers

UPSU society members, who will need to show how they uphold a zero tolerance to racism